Thursday, January 1, 2009

2008 Games Summary

Well, after several years of gradual decline in game playing, the trend has finally reversed and I again played over 1 game/day average. Additionally, it was a good year for gaming: we moved and I now have a dedicated game room (pictured), my kids continue to want to play lots of games, and my daughter is now able to play some "real" games, and my colleagues have been totally bitten by the Race for the Galaxy bug. Overall, it's been a good gaming year.

Games RoomWe said when we moved we'd make sure the new house had a room that could be the games room. Well, we moved, and we did (see photo) and I played a lot of games there. In the end I played 112 games at home, about 96 of them in the new house. Even better, the games room is front and center in the house, and I look forward to hosting more gaing sessions in 2009.

Gaming with KidsMy kids continue to turn in to excellent gamers. My 4-year-old is now playing games with meaningful choices and my 2-year-old's favorite way to delay bedtime is to ask "One more game?". Further, my 4-year-old was the person I played the most games with in 2008. In 2008, I played 63 games with her.

Gaming at WorkAt the end of 2007 I started organizing gaming at lunch at work on Fridays. By mid-2008 we were regularly having two tables of gaming for the hour, and a waiting list for Race. We got a second copy of Race and expanded to Monday lunchtime gaming as well. In the end I played 59 games at lunch and another 29 at other work related events (retreats, after work, etc.) The majority of the work gaming has been Race, but with a solid sprinkling of Dominion, 6 nimmt!, For Sale, Pandemic, and the like.

Regular Gaming GroupI made 17 out of 24(?) sessions this year, and this remains my main source of variety in games and remains a great group to game with.

Personal

Professional

I am a Engineering Director at Google. My team and I work on Search.

Previously, I was the CTO at an 802.11 location and security company, Newbury Networks in Boston. In June, 1999 I received my Masters degree from the MIT Media Lab. I graduated from MIT (undergraduate) in June, 1997, in physics. Prior to that I was CTO of net.Genesis from 1994 to 1996.